Service providers utilize distributed networks to provide services to customers over large geographic areas. For example, power companies use power distribution lines to carry power from one or more generating stations (power plants) to residential and commercial customer sites alike. The generating stations use alternating current (AC) to transmit power over long distances via the power distribution lines. Long-distance transmission can be accomplished using a relatively high voltage. Substations located near the customer sites provide a step-down from the high voltage to a lower voltage (e.g., using transformers). Power distribution lines carry this lower-voltage AC from the substations to the endpoint devices at customer sites.
Communications providers may utilize a distributed communications network to provide communications services to customers. Similarly, power companies utilize a network of power lines, meters, and other network elements to provide power to customers throughout a geographic region and to receive data from the customer locations (e.g., including but not limited to data representing metered utility data about the power usage). A system can provide these reporting functions using a set of data-collecting devices (collectors) that are designed to communicate with nearby endpoint devices. However, data communication between a command center, collectors and many thousands of endpoint devices over power distribution lines can be a particularly challenging issue. The sheer number of endpoint devices contributes to a host of issues including synchronization, communication bandwidth and cost concerns. Other problems relate to signal interference and coordination between communicating devices. These and other issues relate to the coordination of communications, and related time-keeping efforts, in such a system.